"The Matrix is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth."
"If real is what you can feel, smell, taste and see, then 'real' is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain". - The Matrix
"What is "real"? How do you define "real"?"
Baudrillard is a sociologist that explained that what we see in our world is a perception of what you thought of as real. Baurdrillard saw hyperreal as a simulation without a source to start with. Humans see and understand the world works because society were the ones who thought up of our “reality.” We see images and signs as real objects in the realm but it is actually a thought and not a material form.
So the question is, if Baudrillard’s idea is true, do we really want to know the truth about the lies we live in? My answer is No. People do not want to find out that what they actually thought was real, was actually a lie. People would be too afraid to see the unknown because it would take a human a long time to comprehend that everything was just an idea. Humans would also have a hard time coming up with their own ideas themselves because they were already presented with old stimulation. Yet, even though our world is “made up”, it does not mean that our perception of what we thought was real wasnt’t true. Our“ reality” is our truth and people strive on truth to continue living.
Baudrillard had four stages of hyperreal and they are, reflection of basic reality, masking and perverting reality, masking the absence of basic reality and pure simulacrum. The first stage which is reflection of basic reality means that the images or sign were well thought out representation of the idea. The second stage which is masking and perverting reality means it hides the truth the reality of the signs to confuse the person by letting them see the illusion. The third stage which is masking the absence of basic reality means that it completely erases the idea of what is real and not real from the reality of the sign or image. Finally, the fourth stage which is pure simulacrum means that the foundation of the idea is gone and the only thing left is the sign or image comes from other signs or images. There is no starts of how an idea, sign or image started but rather new reformed signs or images. It is a never ending idea of ideas that doesn’t know where it first started.
With this, The Matrix was a perfect example of how Baudrillard understood and saw society. Morpheus is a character from the movie The Matrix and he was explaining to neo what the matrix was, he said "The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it." We, the people, no matter what intelligent level we are on, do not to have our system taken away. People depend on the system and society and no matter how much we hate it, want to change it, or leave it alone, it will always be our master and we are its slaves.
"If real is what you can feel, smell, taste and see, then 'real' is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain". - The Matrix
"What is "real"? How do you define "real"?"
Baudrillard is a sociologist that explained that what we see in our world is a perception of what you thought of as real. Baurdrillard saw hyperreal as a simulation without a source to start with. Humans see and understand the world works because society were the ones who thought up of our “reality.” We see images and signs as real objects in the realm but it is actually a thought and not a material form.
So the question is, if Baudrillard’s idea is true, do we really want to know the truth about the lies we live in? My answer is No. People do not want to find out that what they actually thought was real, was actually a lie. People would be too afraid to see the unknown because it would take a human a long time to comprehend that everything was just an idea. Humans would also have a hard time coming up with their own ideas themselves because they were already presented with old stimulation. Yet, even though our world is “made up”, it does not mean that our perception of what we thought was real wasnt’t true. Our“ reality” is our truth and people strive on truth to continue living.
Baudrillard had four stages of hyperreal and they are, reflection of basic reality, masking and perverting reality, masking the absence of basic reality and pure simulacrum. The first stage which is reflection of basic reality means that the images or sign were well thought out representation of the idea. The second stage which is masking and perverting reality means it hides the truth the reality of the signs to confuse the person by letting them see the illusion. The third stage which is masking the absence of basic reality means that it completely erases the idea of what is real and not real from the reality of the sign or image. Finally, the fourth stage which is pure simulacrum means that the foundation of the idea is gone and the only thing left is the sign or image comes from other signs or images. There is no starts of how an idea, sign or image started but rather new reformed signs or images. It is a never ending idea of ideas that doesn’t know where it first started.
With this, The Matrix was a perfect example of how Baudrillard understood and saw society. Morpheus is a character from the movie The Matrix and he was explaining to neo what the matrix was, he said "The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it." We, the people, no matter what intelligent level we are on, do not to have our system taken away. People depend on the system and society and no matter how much we hate it, want to change it, or leave it alone, it will always be our master and we are its slaves.